


Wish

by EternalElegy



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25995565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalElegy/pseuds/EternalElegy
Summary: Wishing upon a star was just a superstition, Jun thought. That didn’t mean that he couldn’t dream.Dedicated to Jun's birthday.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Wish

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t read all of Saga yet since it has not been fully translated at the time of posting, so there may be some inaccuracies with canon.

Jun loved strawberries. Of course he’d wish for them.

Even though his immediate childhood memories were of pain and suffering, a few rare, happy ones occasionally made its way into his mind. It was one of his earliest memories, when his father was loving and caring, a time when he hadn’t yet been thrown into cruel, harsh reality. Jun was a good student. He did his homework. He wanted to do well in school so that he could become an amazing idol, just like his father. He was pleasantly surprised when his father came home with a small strawberry cake to share with the rest of the family, with a “Happy Birthday!” as Jun came running as fast as his little legs could allow. It was a modest cake, but despite its appearance, Jun thought the taste was something out of this world. He thought it was physically impossible for something to bring him so much joy as his taste buds were blissfully overloaded.

The rest of the memory blurred with time, fading out until all that remained were snapshots, small moments that popped in and out of Jun’s head. His mother’s laughter. The smile and embrace of his father. The warmth of his home. The light of the candles. Even as the appearance of the cake disappeared from his mind, Jun remembered the taste very, very well. Its impression was so strong that his mind came to a grinding halt when he recognised the cake on display in a bakery during one of his shopping trips with Hiyori. 

That memory was a tiny glimmer of happiness within a period of Jun’s life that was shrouded by darkness.

Jun had a strong craving for strawberries one day as he finished work in the late afternoon, and fortunately, it was the day when he’d make one of his regular grocery shopping trips. He had the menu for the week all planned out, the shopping list prepared, but he added one final note to make sure that he didn’t forget his favourite food. Jun hadn’t been this excited about grocery shopping for a while. 

His plans took a massive turn as a certain green-haired male bounded towards him.    
“Jun-kun, there you are! I searched everywhere for you!” Hiyori lit up as he caught sight of Jun.   
“Why didn’t you think to check the resting room anyway?”   
“I thought you’d be reading in your dorm, or talking to Ibara, or Nagisa-kun, or taking a jog, or be literally anywhere other than here!”   
“You know you could have texted or called me, right?” Jun sighed. “What do you want?”   
“Cancel your plans, we’re going shopping!”

_ Here we go again. _   
“And you’re going to ask me to hold all of your bags?”   
“Yep yep! You’re my slave after all!”   
“I’m not your slave, Ohii-san.” Jun was sure that he had already said it a billion times, not that Hiyori would listen to him anyway.   
“If you come with me, I’ll buy you whatever you want within reason!”   
“Hah? Why are you suddenly rewarding me?”   
“Be grateful for my generosity, Jun-kun!”

“Well… I don’t really want anything.”    
“We’re going to the square we went to last time!”   
“What’s the name of it?”   
“I forgot! But I’m sure I’ll remember it in a bit… oh oh! It’s the place where you saw that strawberry cake!”

_ What a coincidence. _   
“Oh. That cake.” Hiyori nodded rapidly.   
“Yep yep! If you come with me, I’ll buy the cake for you!”

Everything came flooding back.   
“It’s not like I have a choice anyway, you know~”   
“Yay! Come on, let’s go now!” 

Jun sighed again, knowing that he was going to be dragged around for the next few hours, but he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face as those warm emotions from years ago returned.

  


* * *

  


As a child, Jun thought that it was appropriate to wish for a normal family.

While all of his friends were smiling and laughing alongside their parents and happily living innocent childhoods, Jun wasn’t even a human in the eyes of his father. He was a tool, a knife sharpened just for the purpose of getting revenge on Jin Sagami, and then… there really wasn’t a purpose after that. There was too much pain, too much suffering right now for Jun. The future could wait. Dealing with this came first. Mustering the strength to get up and move onto tomorrow came first. 

One question echoed continuously in his head: what did he do to deserve this?

Jun later came to accept that the answer was nothing, and that the situation was completely out of his control, and he hated it. However, there was something else that was out of his control, and that was the menu of the Eden scheduled lunches. That, he didn’t mind so much.

Jun closed his eyes for a split moment and he remembered eating back at home all those years ago when his father was happy and his mother was happy and he was happy and everything was going to be okay with the power of love and idols and Jin Sagami. When he opened them again, he saw Ibara going on about some upcoming work with that special businessman expression, he saw Nagisa with a gentle smile as he listened to his producer ramble, he saw Hiyori’s disinterested expression as he ate.   
“Jun-kuuuun.” Hiyori poked Jun’s side.   
“Ohii-san, we should listen to Ibara, you know. This sounds important.”   
“But I’m so boooored.”

“Your Highness, please pay attention! I will not be repeating myself!” Ibara’s voice cut through.   
“Can’t we just eat together like a proper family and talk about things that aren’t related to work for once?” Hiyori whined.   
“Please make no mistake, these lunches were planned to improve our teamwork! We are business partners, not a family!” Ibara shot back.   
“You’re still stuck on that mindset, Ibara? It looks like our producer is one stubborn snake~” Jun couldn’t help but side with his senior. 

“Ahaha, who knew that the cool and polite Jun Sazanami would have quite the sharp tongue!”    
“... Hiyori-kun is right. We are a family now, Ibara.” Nagisa spoke up.   
“W-well, Your Excellency…” Jun wished he had the power to wipe the smile off Ibara’s face just like that.   
“Fine then, listen to Nagisa-kun and not me. Hmph!” Hiyori pouted.    
“I mean, it’s not like you have to go out of your way to do anything in particular from now on. You’re a part of this family just by being here.” Jun said. Ever since SS and the idea was brought up, Jun was finally able to put a word on the special bond that he felt towards the rest of Eden. Family. A sense of belonging that he hadn’t felt for a long, long time. Jun liked it. It brought with it a soft, gentle warmth.

Before, as a non-special student, Jun would have thought that wishing for a better family was impossible and stupid. To his pleasant surprise, he was wrong.

  


* * *

  


A future of financial stability was something a lot of people wished for. For Jun, it was no different.

That huge weight hadn’t been lifted off his shoulders just yet as he signed the contract with Eden and Cosmic Production. Ibara beamed the widest smile Jun had ever seen in his life as Jun’s pen lifted off the paper. Even through all of Ibara’s plastic smiles and upbeat personality, Jun knew that he was a disposable tool in Ibara’s eyes. Even though his salary would definitely be more than enough to get by in life, Jun knew that he could lose it at the drop of a hat if he ever failed his expectations. Even though this was supposed to be a shining paradise that they welcomed their audience to, Jun knew that he could be sent right back to the dark depths of the alleyways if he stepped out of line.

Jun continued to pinch every penny as he went about day to day life, hunting for bargains and sales like he only had a tiny fraction of his current paycheck. If it was from old habits or insecurity, he couldn’t really tell. Not like it mattered, as the savings continued to pile higher and higher, for the unlikely event when everything fell apart. He could never understand Hiyori and how he spent money like water. 

He had gotten his wish in the end, but not without a cost. Fortunately, the pressure to maintain his position in Eden lessened over time as he was treated less like an asset and more like a person by a certain producer. If the past Jun looked at him now, he would have been wondering how he hadn’t gotten fired yet for showing this much disrespect to the one who had the most control over his life. 

Jun threw the subtlest of snide remarks at Ibara over lunch for the umpteenth time that week. He finally understood why Hiyori got so much joy out of harassing Jun, even if only a little. Ibara returned with a comment of his own. Jun threw another one back. Ibara countered it. They had started a game of ping pong except with teasing and both of them were getting an unusually large amount of entertainment over it. Nagisa didn’t seem to understand what was going on. Hiyori looked like he was having just as much fun as a spectator. Nagisa asked Hiyori to explain the events as they unfolded, but the meal was finished too quickly for Jun’s liking and they had to go their separate ways for work.

If denial could kill, Ibara would die over a thousand times if Jun ever confronted Ibara about being treated as anything other than a business partner. Ibara would probably laugh and then call Jun a soulmate while having the fakest of smiles plastered all over his face, and then Jun would probably call out the fakeness of it, all while Ibara continued being fake. There was no helping that snake sometimes. It was exasperating and amusing at the same time. Somehow, it was possible for the vice president of Cosmic Production and the producer of one of ES’s top idol units to be one of the biggest blockheads in the world when it came to feelings. Jun didn’t blame him. Ibara had a rough life, after all.

There was far more to the contract he signed a year ago, Jun realised. And it wasn’t all about the money.

  


* * *

  


Jun was determined to get personal revenge on Jin Sagami that fateful day.

He was delivering papers like a good student representing Reimei, Eve and Eden, but upon hearing that name, seeing that woozy expression on a face that once captivated thousands of adoring fans, hearing that lazy, slightly slurred voice that once ruled the stage… Jun was absolutely livid. 

He never planned on helping his father get revenge, when his father was the one who made his life hell. Now, he was motivated personally, and there was nothing that was going to stop Jun Sazanami from getting what he wanted.

He got it eventually… somewhat. When he finally had the opportunity to stand up on stage against the person he despised so much over the course of the year, those emotions had already diminished. Of course, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to give it his all, but unlike before, he had somewhere to return to, a place that had no room for those feelings towards a man who had taken up so much of his life. He didn’t need to hate Jin anymore. He had something else to live for now.

In the soundproof practice room, Jun sang and danced alongside some of the best idols ES had to offer. Group practice was hard and tiring and even though he had been a part of Eden for a year, the nerves never failed to creep up on him as he remembered the debt he owed every other person in the room. His dream to surpass Jin could be realised because of these people. He had a fighting chance because Hiyori decided to pick him up on a whim. He could become one of the best idols in the world because Ibara let him into Eden despite his lack of talent. His success on stage could be infinitely sky high because of Nagisa’s powerful leadership and presence.

There was no way that he was going to let them down and make them regret their decisions, especially not Hiyori’s. Hiyori was the one that changed all of it in the first place, after all, and he owed him more than a life’s worth of gratitude for that. 

Ibara announced the end of practice with a smile, and Jun beelined straight to his water bottle and towel. Hiyori showered Jun with an unnecessary amount of love and hugs, going on and on about how Jun had grown so much ever since they had first met, all while Jun attempted to shake his sweaty senior off. Nagisa entered his field of view, giving Jun just a sentence of praise with that soft voice and smile, and somehow it all meant a lot more than what was actually said, like it was the gods who had bestowed their blessings upon him. Ibara was already on his tablet, furiously tapping away at it like the workaholic he was, but Jun later received a short message of encouragement from the producer that instantly elevated his mood, giving him a surge of confidence regarding their upcoming live show.

That night, all of the memories he had in relation to a certain man came back to him. Super Idol Jin Sagami stood on that stage alone with a radiant smile and voice and figure with power equal to the amount of love he earned from his fans, and that almost divine figure had somehow been reduced to the drunken, lazy mess that Jun saw at Yumenosaki. A god had fallen. Jun saw that pitiful state first hand and he had never been more determined to ensure that he wouldn’t make the same mistakes. 

On stage the next day, in front of thousands of cheering fans and gold penlights, Jun performed without a shred of restraint. There was no reason to perform with regret anyway; Eden were unstoppable rulers, rulers who had absolute reign over anything and everything. All Jun needed to do was accept it. He might have been a lowly non-special student a year ago, looking up towards an unreachable heaven with all of its gods and deities, but now he was among them- No, he was one of them, and there was no point being here on this stage without using all of the power that he had been bestowed with.

Jun knew he had to work hard in order to keep up with the rest of Eden with all of their talent, but there was something else that allowed him to be here: faith. As long as he continued to sing, dance and perform with all of his heart and soul, there would always be a place for him in this paradise.

  


* * *

  


The day was tiring enough already, and Jun wanted nothing more than to sit down and read the latest chapter of his favourite manga in peace during his break.

Unfortunately for Jun, he bumped into Hiyori on the way to the resting room and just as he feared, Hiyori began to talk. Once Hiyori started talking, there was never going to be an end to it. Hiyori went on and on about random topics as if he was powered by all the solar energy in existence and the only thing that could stop him was the permanent death of the sun trillions of years later. Physical distancing didn’t work, because then Hiyori would just catch up to Jun as he tried to walk away. Trying to cut the conversation short didn’t work either because Hiyori would just continue rambling. Telling Hiyori he had work didn’t succeed either as Hiyori knew Jun’s schedule well enough to know when to contact him to talk. Hiyori called it having a friendly conversation. Jun called it harassment.

Some exhausting hour later, Hiyori mentioned something about solo practice and left Jun alone, but not before giving him a hug so tight that he swore his ribs would break if Hiyori put in any more force. Somehow, that hour drained him more than the busy week that had just gone by.

Jun only had half an hour left, he realised with an exasperated sigh, as he finally reached the resting room, plopping himself down at a sofa before taking out his manga. The other manga he wanted to start would have to wait until next time. 

“... Jun.” 

Jun was so immersed that he jumped out of his skin at the voice.   
“What is it, Nagi-senpai?”   
“May I sit next to you?”   
“Sure.”

Nagisa sat down next to Jun and opened his own book and suddenly the atmosphere completely flipped. Jun had never been this close to Nagisa before and he was barely able to stop himself from awkwardly shuffling in his seat. Jun desperately prepared his mind for something, anything, just in case Nagisa wanted to talk to him...   
“... Is that the manga that you were reading last week?”   
“Yeah. This new chapter came out yesterday.”   
“... It sounds exciting. I hope you enjoy it.”    
“Thanks. I hope you enjoy your book too.”   
“... Mmm.”

That was the end of it. Somehow it was possible for Nagisa to look cool while doing the most visually boring things, like reading. The way he sat with perfectly straight posture, his legs crossed, the book resting in his hands, the strands of hair that cascaded over the back of the sofa and in front of his shoulders… everything was in the right place. Nagisa made it look so easy. Jun was sure that this level of coolness was unnatural, yet it looked so natural at the same time. Maybe Ibara taught Nagisa a few tips and tricks to doing this kind of thing without any apparent effort.

The rest of the time was spent in silence and eventually, Jun had to leave.   
“... Ah, you have to go, Jun?”   
“Yeah. Got work now.”   
“... Good luck. Thank you for allowing me to sit with you.”   
“We’re in the same unit so you don’t have to ask, you know? Next time, you can just sit beside me.”   
“... Okay. I will keep that in mind for next time.”

Apparently, it was possible to bond with someone while staying completely silent.

  


* * *

  


All of Eden thought that they were in for a photoshoot… except it wasn’t a job at all. In fact, it was far from being work.

Ibara had the smuggest expression in the world as Nagisa, Hiyori and Jun stepped out of the car to be met with completely unfamiliar scenery. They were away from the bustling city and ES and the big billboards that had their images plastered all over, and pretty much everything that reminded them that they were idols, or even members of society. Here, they were just tiny, insignificant beings in the face of nature, and all of its beauty and wonder. Jun thought about the amount of time Ibara had to spend finding this place, and then bringing Eden on a day with perfect weather and with the least amount of public presence.

The car had stopped at the top of a small hill and a vast lake stretched out in front of them, with grass, bushes and small white flowers surrounding the lake. Life was everywhere, ranging from birds that glided over the water’s surface, to butterflies that visited the flowers, to the occasional wildlife that wandered around, darting away whenever other humans got too close. It was as if the lake was a massive mirror as the full grandeur of the sky reflected perfectly on the water’s surface, only to be disturbed by the birds that took a drink midflight. The sun overhead provided the most comfortable amount of warmth, balancing out the slightly chilly breeze in the best way possible. 

Everything was so perfect that it was almost unreal. Jun found it amazing that nature, with all of its inconsistencies, could come together to create a sight that was so impossibly harmonious. Humans were destructive, controlling, power-hungry beings that aimed to bend everything to their will, and Jun was grateful that this beautiful area had been preserved. Some people took solace in nature. This area was so different from the city that it was almost like a fragile little world inside its own bubble, like a small little paradise away from all the sins of the universe.

“Alright, let’s all aim to get to that big lookout over there. That’s the best place to take photos, if you wish to do so!” Ibara announced, already beginning to walk down the stairs that led to the lake. Jun strangely found that he wasn’t keen on taking too many photos. He wanted to live in the moment, breathe the fresh air, feel the wind on his face, hear the sound of nature. He was sure that it was the case for the rest of Eden. Even Hiyori was silent as they travelled along the gravel path towards the destination that Ibara had set. Considering how packed their schedules usually were, this was an extremely rare opportunity that Jun wasn’t going to be able to have again in a very long time.

They weren’t even half way there and Jun was already completely rejuvenated. Maybe this was the magic of nature.

Two young children ran past, almost bumping into the members of Eden, and a man that Jun presumed to be their father chased after them, calling out for them to slow down.    
“Sorry about that, my children are very excited and energetic today.” The mother apologised as she overtook Eden at a brisk pace.   
“It’s no problem, ma’am! I’m glad that your children are having fun!” Ibara responded immediately. The mother smiled back and headed on her way. 

A family, Jun thought to himself. Eden wasn’t family by blood, but he could draw similarities. Those times when he had felt this bond towards his own parents were so far into the past that he could barely remember it, but Eden brought it all back, alongside the safety and security, a place that he could call home. They had been through so much together. SS, when their own production company detonated a weapon so powerful that the entire idol industry could collapse. Saga, when Jun could face off against the man he had been itching to beat. Conquest, when Nagisa and Hiyori pushed the unit’s bonds to the limits. All of those experiences had created something unshakeable, unstoppable and inseparable, and Jun wanted to treasure and protect it for the rest of his life.

Nagisa turned to Hiyori and said something brief about nature. When Jun turned to Ibara, the producer had the most uncharacteristically tender expression as he absorbed his surroundings. Apparently it was possible for Ibara Saegusa of Cosmic Production and Eden to make that kind of face, but all of it quickly disappeared as they met gazes.   
“Ah, Jun! Is there something that you’re worried about?”    
“No. I just wanted to say thanks for bringing us here.”   
“It’s absolutely vital that one has a change of scenery every once in a while! Taking breaks is important for increased productivity, so I made sure to pick out the perfect place to go out to maximise our time today.”

Ibara talked as if this outing was about business. Jun knew that it was only partially the truth.

Some more walking later and with a couple of pictures on his phone, Jun and the rest of Eden reached the lookout. It was nothing more than a massive rock that visitors could stand on, but it provided the perfect view of everything. A quick few photos were taken, but only to serve as a reminder for these moments. The pictures on his device came nowhere near to what he could see, and hear, and feel, and he was sure that everyone else felt the same. 

Jun looked towards the blue heavens as he remembered his father telling him about wishing upon a star, when they went out stargazing one night. As Jun grew older and the harsh and cruel reality rained down on him relentlessly, he had hated the idea; it was just a stupid superstitution that adults made up for children just for a moment of fun. Wishes didn’t just come true. Wishes had to be worked for, and even then, certain wishes were impossible to attain just because of circumstances that one couldn’t control. Sometimes, even just a simple wish, like wishing for happiness, was too much. At least, that was what that younger Jun thought as he cried himself to sleep after his father had yelled at him with all the anger of the world.

Now Jun was almost an adult, and everything had come together so perfectly to get to where he was today. He was free from his father. He was free from that hate towards Jin Sagami. He was free from almost all of his past troubles and while he had put in work to reach the present, it had all been so miraculous that Jun really believed sometimes that there was a higher power up there, weaving together a reality where Jun could be happy.

Jun saw Nagisa’s peaceful expression, overlooking the lake. Jun saw Hiyori’s soft, warm smile; a considerable difference from the blazing energetic sun he usually was. Jun saw Ibara’s usually sharp features become gentle and vulnerable, despite a life full of hardship. These were the people that he shared a paradise with.

Jun wished for a bright, shining future.

If all of those wishes in the past could come true, surely, this one could be realised too.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday, Jun Sazanami! 
> 
> I apologise for getting this out horrendously late.


End file.
